Neon flash sign



Dec. 13, 1932. w E, OOST 1,890,732

NEON FLASH SIGN Filed Sept. 19, 1932 INVEN TOR.

i mi mmgzw WW ltl atente Dec. 13,1932

NITED STATES PATENTOF FICEIL WVILLIAM E. $0081, 015 OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA ASSIGNOR T ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS ASSOCIATES, OF LOB ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA NEON FLASH SIGN Application filed September 19, 1932. Serial No. 683,698.

This invention is a neon flash sign and is especially directed to a neon sign in which the characters are built up in illumination to form the completed characters.

The usual method of flashingneon signs is to flash the entire characters at one time and complete. It is known that difierent characters have been consecutively flashed to form a series of completed characters, how ever, my invention is intended to build up the individual characters by consecutively ash ing dificrent portions to form a character. I

An entirely new and unexpected result is obtained by this particular method of flash ing the characters and creates in the mind of the observer, a certain curiosity during the building up of the character which is entirely diderent from that created by the flashing of consecutive complete characters. in addition to this, it provides a means of forming the different parts of the individual characters with differently colored illumination and thereby provides a means for producing some very artistic effects. 7

it is therefore the main ob3ect of this invention to provide a neon sign with charactars, difi erent portions of which are provided with diiierently colored illumination, and the different portions of which are successively flashed to provide a complete character.

vide the neon sign with a series of characters, each of which characters are com osed of a series of parts and eachof whic provided with a different color of i1 11minstion. 1'

Uther objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description is read on the drawin forming a part of this s 'T e'c'ification and in w ich simig l -a1: reference aracters are used to indicate "iniilar parts" throughout the several views,

Fig. 2 is a wiring diagram which is particularly adapted to the operation of the invention.

The invention consists of characters formed completed circuit to all sections of formers 23, 24 and 25, the'other terminal of ed to one terminal or electrode oi fe and 19, the other terminal or electrodeiof eacl Another object of the invention 1s to nroilluminating the 11 t the rotorrotates inthe direction of the ar-' Fig. 1 is a plan view of the invention, and

of neon tubing, each character being formed of a plurality of sections and consists of a background or mounting plate 10, on which is mounted a character or a plurality of characters, each character being formed in a plurality of sections, and being indicated in the drawing as formed of three superposed sections 11, 12 and 15 each of the sections having terminals 14, 15 and 16 respectively. The individual sections are connected throughout a series of characters, the inter, vening portions 17, 18 and 19 being covered 1 with an opaque material so as tdcompletely isolate the connections from the active por; tions of the characters, this practice being old in the art and not claimed. f i In the operation of this device, circuit breaking and distributing means is required to successively flash the various. sections of 1 the characters and retain the sections in illuminated condition to build upi the entire" character, then suddenly interrupting the the characters, and for this purpose a rotor-"is provided. with three commutator bars 20, 21 and 22, e'ach of which is respectively connected to one termi nal of the secondaries of three step-'uptra'n's- I the transformers being respectively connectthe neon tubes or character sections tube being respectively connectedTtoj 'the f brushes 26, 27 and 28, which brushesf pe ate infline with the commutator bar or ring 35 se%nents20, 21 and 2 2.

he primariesofth,transformersg23, 24

v and 25, are respectively connected teasouree of alternating current throughthefline wir'es 29 and so. i i In operation'i-biush 26 first comes incontact with the end 31 of commutator bar 20,

per portion of. the sign: eterminals 14, and 115 included between t row, the end 32 of commutator bar 21 next cooperates with the brush 27, illuminating the tube included between the terminals 16 and after this eriod, three brushes are in contact with t eir respective commutator bars and maintain all three sections of tubing under illuminating conditions until the rotor has reached the point shown on the drawing, after which a further slight movement of the rotor breaks contact between the brushes and the commutator bars. extin- 1y instead of the entire upper section of all of a t e characters, and furthermore each section may be composed of a plurality of difi'erent colors and by stepping the position of the coincidently illuminated sections of the various characters, a great many ditferent eflects can be produced.

The process of forming a character in the form of a neon flash sign, the character being formed of a plurality of different colored portions has special advantages over any other form or method of flashing neon signs and very decisively attracts attention to the sign, due to both, the specific flashing sequence of the individual characters, an the colored combinations brought out during the flashing of the character, and the fact that the individual characters are composed of a plurality of different colors, in other words eing vari-colored.

Having describedan operative method and device, it will be understood that variations in construction and arrangement of parts which are consistent with the appended claims may be resorted to, without detracting from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof;

I claim 1. An illuminated sign comprising a character divided into a plurality of sections, each section being formed of a length of neon gas filled tubing, and provided with individual terminals, an individual source-of high tension current for each section, and means for successively making the circuits and simultaneously breaking the circuits to the sections.

2. An illuminated sign comprising a character divided into a plurality of sections, each section being formed of a length of neon gas filled tubing and provided with individual terminals, an individual source of high tension current for each section, and means for successively making the circuits and simultaneously breaking the circuits to the sections, and each section having incorporated in the neon gas a difl'erent light coloring medium, a vari-colored illuminated character being thereby produced in a series of steps and extinguished as a whole.

3. An illuminated neon sign comprising a plurality of characters, each character con- 

